


batdad in: the school play

by badgerterritory



Category: DCU (Comics)
Genre: Gen, THE BATDAD, no superhero au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-18
Updated: 2015-10-18
Packaged: 2018-04-26 22:21:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5022769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/badgerterritory/pseuds/badgerterritory
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>bruce wayne is so, so proud of his daughter.</p><p>(or, cass gets in a play and bruce embarrasses her.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	batdad in: the school play

**Author's Note:**

> cass is like twelve here. so is stephanie. dick is adultish, as is barbara. jason is sixteen, tim is fourteen.
> 
> if given half the opportunity, bruce will decorate literally anything with bats
> 
> based on a post by the-owlknight.tumblr.com

“This is stupid,” Damian said, which he said about everything. Tim would have agreed with him, except he said it in that weird aristocratic way he shouldn’t be able to manage at eight, which made Tim want to punch him. But punching an eight-year-old was awful, even an especially awful eight-year-old, so he just let Dick handle it.

Dick, for his part, didn’t particularly enjoy dealing with Damian when he was in a _mood_ , so he looked to Bruce for help. Their father simply said, “Your sister worked hard to get into this play, despite her inability to speak. I would think you would be glad for her, Damian.”

Bruce was actually bursting with pride, despite his stoic exterior. Cassandra had a condition that impaired her ability to communicate verbally, but she was still excited to be in the play that her school was putting on. She was in a background role, but she was still on stage, fulfilling her dream. Nothing could make Bruce prouder. Except, perhaps, his youngest son learning how to behave. At least Jason was quiet, albeit sullen. He had his hood drawn up and he sank into his seat the moment they found them. Bruce spared a moment to greet Commissioner Gordon and his daughter. Dick went to sit with them, which Bruce had expected.

Everyone settled as the play started. Damian watched with distaste as a blonde girl dressed as the sun came out and did the opening monologue. She forgot a few lines, but got through the majority admirably. It was going to be a play about pollution and global warming, from what he could tell.

The play continued. It was all Damian could do to stave off boredom until Cass came on. She was dressed as a tree, and stood in place as the other trees conversed with each other, explaining how they created oxygen. One of the trees forgot his line and she got him back on track with a few quick, hidden gestures. She was one of the few trees on stage until the end.

When it ended, Bruce actually got to his feet and applauded loudly. “Way to go, Cassie!” he called out. Damian could see Cass’s face rapidly coloring. “You’re so talented!”

“Sir,” Alfred said quietly.

Cass raised her arm a little, waving briefly at them with a happy smile, although she was still blushing. Then she was bowing (well, bobbing) with the rest of the cast, and they all shuffled offstage. Bruce seemed like he was still in Proud Dad mode and looking for another child to bestow his pride upon, so the three younger boys mutually agreed to get the hell out of there and leave Dick to whatever fate may come.

They met up with Cass, who had changed out of her costume and into her usual hoodie and jeans in record time and was waiting for them near the concessions. “Father is very proud of you,” Damian informed her with as little condescension as possible, for him. “Your performance was quite good, for a non-speaking role. The subject matter left…”

Jason leaned on Damian’s head and grinned down at Cass. “What the little demon means to say is, the play was really cool for something put on by a middle school. And you made an awesome tree.”

“Thank you.” The bright grin on Cass’s face probably gave away the excitement she felt, though her hands were steady as she signed. “Where is Father and Alfred?”

“Hello, Cassandra,” Alfred said, answering her question for her. “Is your young friend still going to be staying with us tonight?” Cass just nodded as Stephanie joined their group and immediately began pestering Jason and Damian. When Bruce and Dick finally joined them, Barbara trailing behind (and Dick explaining that Barbara was staying over too), they all piled into the Batvan, which was what the kids called the van Bruce used to drive them around (because he had a general theme going, whenever he customized things) and drove back to the manor.

(“I’m totally writing a blog post about this,” Stephanie said as she entered the front doors.

The next day, Jason showed Tim and Dick a post, and started reading. “Bruce Wayne: World’s Greatest Dad, by Stephanie Brown. This humble blogger recently performed in a school play that was critically acclaimed, and no critic was more pleased than local billionaire Bruce Wayne. Not only did he cheer in the theatre specifically for his daughter, he later threw a modest party in her honor, which yours truly was invited to. Holy crap, this girl’s amazing, we need to invite her the next time Bruce wants us to sit down to get a portrait painted.”

Cass nodded, having approached while their attention was elsewhere.)


End file.
